A well known and marked trailhead has been established starting from Wasatch Blvd. The trail adds some time to the approach, but is fenced off from passing through any private property. Stick to the trail.

This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund,
and Mountain Project.You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates.

Description

This route follows a really striking line up the Middle Bell Tower, but has really bad rock up high. Easily pick this route out by looking for the obvious continuous dihedral which goes through 2 huge roofs. Good rock quality is found for the first 2 pitches, but it gets much worse after passing the Arm and Hammer exit.

P1) Incredible roof traverse pitch. This pitch is 3-star quality, and has good rock. Easily climb up to the monster roof, then traverse the roof right for 40 feet of fun climbing. A set of chain anchors ends this pitch immediately after finishing the roof, or link with the second pitch. (5.7)

P2) Squeeze. Good rock, but this is an unpleasant squeeze chimney. Grunt up this passing 3 old bolts on the right face. The crack can be somewhat protected with a #4 camalot. Of the 3 bolts, the first looks like a nail with a wingnut attached, the second has a hanger, and the 3rd is bashed into the rock (and completely unusable). The first can be used if slung with a small stopper. This pitch ends at a nice ledge with a 3 bolt anchor, or can be combined with pitch 1. (5.7)

P3) Climb up the variable sized dihedral through deteriorating rock for 100 feet to another ledge with a 2 bolt, 1 piton anchor. (5.7)

P4) Climb up a rotten crack, which quickly reaches a squeeze chimney. Another bad bolt on the left face, then grunt upwards. Clip another odd bolt on the right face, then traverse slightly left to a sealed up crack (possibly protectable at the start by very small gear). Continue up this unprotectable bad rock to a 2 bolt anchor. (5.6)

P5, P6) Rock gets even worse. I chose to rap the route from here. If not, this next pitch goes up a steep unprotectable bush and dirt filled choss groove to the second big roof. The roof looks easy, but unpleasant to reach. Another pitch apparently climbs through a rotten corner to the top.

Descent) It is possible to rap to the ground from the top of P4 using only one 60m rope.

Protection

Standard Rack. Definitely bring a #4 camalot! It seemed like 2 would be nice on most pitches. I placed at least one on every pitch.

The remainder of the route gets better after bushwacking up to the second roof. This pitch is definately spooky, but can be protected, just clean the gravel out of the crack. There is a nice belay stance past the roof with a bolt to incorporate. The pitch following is a cool dihedral that is fairly clean, once it gets steep again 5.6/5.7. Different options exist here and most are mellow to the top of the tower 5.6. Watch your step, as the lower angle slabs are covered with gravel. To rap the line you have to stop after the second roof otherwise prepare for a terrible walk off to the east.

I climbed this to Arm and Hammer last fall. You really should combine pitch one and two together (need a 60 meter rope). Also someone replaced on of the junk bolts in the squeeze chimney, if I remember right there is a new on where the old stud with a wingnut used to be, then you can clip the old rusted 1/4er just above. The replacement of the bolt makes you feel much better going into the layback section.

Great Route. Pitches 1-4 are classic, with excellent granite! We had trouble getting to the "top." My climbing partner climbed pitches 6 and 7 up through the trough passing 2 belay stations (webbing around a bush) And as we were out of water, exhausted, and low on time he said there was nothing to see and the climbing sucked. so we rapped down the route. I was under the impression that you could walk off this route (i.e. reach the top) Does it sound like we got to the "top"???

I'm not the type of person to rock popular opinion, but two things felt pretty clear to me after finishing the route - all pitches except the first felt a full grade harder than 5.7 and quite sustained. It's not hard, but it did feel consistently more committing than 5.7 on pitches 2,3, and 4. Personally I'd give it a 5.8 or an LCC 5.8-, with the 1st pitch being the easiest/least enjoyable, 2 and 3 being good 5.8s, and the 4th pitch easing up a tad but still more difficult than the first. Also, just doing pitches 1-4 I give this route 4 stars. Phenomenal, sustained climbing at the grade (again, 5.8 IMHO), very aesthetic, good rock with only one or two spots of "grittiness." Awesome.

One last comment: I didn't think the crack on P3 was that rotten, or that the rock on the final pitch was in a full state of deterioration - my friend had a small flake peel off in his hand on the final section of P4 and I think that was it for the entire route. The final seam that is mentioned as unprotectable takes a perfect #0 and #2 Metolius with good spacing.

Climbed this route on Pioneer Day (7/24/16). We intended to do Arm and Hammer until at the base as we were gearing up I realized I left my climbing shoes at home . . . $#Ck!! Luckily my climbing partner had a pair of 5.10 approach shoes that fit me so we decide to do Ellsworth-McQuarrie and salvage the effort to get to this tower. Fun route overall. We did the first 4 pitches as 2 long pitches. The primary reason I'm posting is to say that as my partner started the 5th pitch it was very ugly. Thick brush growing in the crack and no solid pro to be placed. The right face could be climbed to avoid the bushwhack but you better have nerves of steel and good insurance as it was crumbly and would be very run out before you could place any solid pro. Even then it's hard to tell if anything is solid at the corner of the roof where it looks like something might go. We just rapped from the top of 4 and called it good. Still worth climbing the first 4 pitches and even better if you have your climbing shoes!

The first 4 pitches (2 long pitches) to the roof where things get ugly.